Successful Test-firing Of Domestically-made Naval Guns, Turkey Is Ready To Replace Italian-made Cannons

Turkish Navy 76mm cannon test. (Source: Anadolu Agency Photo via Dailys Sabah)

JAKARTA - Turkey on Thursday successfully tested a domestically developed 76mm Navy gun, which is expected to replace similar ammunition normally imported from abroad.

The firing test was carried out at the Karapınar firing range in central Konya Province under the supervision of the Minister of National Defense Hulusi Akar, who was accompanied by Chief of General Staff General Yaşar Güler, Army Commander General Musa Avsever, Navy Commander Admiral Adnan Özbal, Air Force Commander General Hasan Küçükakyüz and Deputy Minister of National Defense Muhsin Dere.

Congratulating those who contributed to the construction of the new weapons system, Minister Root said in his speech, "None of these jobs is the end. Each one is the beginning of the next phase."

"We will meet the needs of our armed forces by continuing our work at an increasing pace," said Minister Akar quoting Daily Sabah on December 2.

The 76mm naval gun was developed by Machinery and Chemical Industry (MKE), a state-owned arms and ammunition manufacturer, and unveiled for the first time during this year's International Defense Exhibition (IDEF 2021) which takes place between August 17 and 20 in Istanbul.

The naval gun project began in 2020 due to perceived high procurement costs and a long delivery schedule for the Leonardo Oto 76/62 mm gun, according to an earlier statement by company officials.

While there is no official policy, these weapons systems are expected to replace imported ones, which are likely to be phased out.

Italian-made naval guns currently arm a wide range of Turkish warships, including G-class frigates, Ada-class corvettes built under the MILGEM (National Ship) project, and fast attack boats.

Minister Akar continued, domestic production is not an option for Turkey, but a necessity.

On the same occasion, Admiral Adnan Özbal, for his part, also mentioned the importance of developing a national marine gun, saying: "We are witnessing the realization of an important success that will strengthen us at sea. The National Marine Cannon is a great success in terms of demonstrating the level that has been achieved by the industry. our domestic defense."

Stressing the importance of completing production in a short time, Özbal said port and cruise tests of the naval guns would follow tests on Thursday.

To note, the MKE 76 mm naval gun has a range of 16 kilometers (9.9 miles). The dimensions of the barrel are 76 mm in diameter and 4.7 mm in length.